Captain Mage's Advice Column
3 posts in this topic.
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If you need any help with storybooking in general, plot or characters, feel free to ask for it here! I may not have experience with LSS, but I've been storybooking and roleplaying for a long time - so chances are I'll be able to answer any questions you have.
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Hello! I'm here to ask questions.
1)I have not idea how do start a storybook, would you mind explaining what basic things are needed to write roleplay?
2)Do I write a part of the storybook and then another person continues?
So do I just describe the intro of the storybook and then other people take over. Or do we switch each time like I write the intro and then someone else does and then I continue he's work?
3) What is the most important thing about writing a storybook?
4) Before I start writing, how am I supposed to arrange it? Like in narrative writing, I could say (1)Wake up from the sound of the alarm clock (2) Brush teeth (3)Eat breakfast.
5) Do you have any storybook that you might recommend to me so that I can understand it better?
Thank you Magebird!
Have splendid day! -
Hi @ChrisDixon! I apologize for the belated reply.
1)I have not idea how do start a storybook, would you mind explaining what basic things are needed to write roleplay?
If you're interested in writing a storybook or roleplay, I think you might want to check out the Storybooking Q&A thread and the Storybook Rules & Resources thread. The Rules & Resources thread just involves storybooks, but the Q&A thread also discusses the difference between storybooks and roleplays. If you're looking to write anything in the storybook section, it's definitely good to know the differences between them.
Here's the explanation given in the Q&A thread:What are the differences between storybooks, roleplays and Roleplay Duos?
Storybooks are large, collaborative writing projects. Group size can vary, but there's almost always more than four people involved. The story is told through long posts that alternate between characters. It's common practice to collaborate with people on your posts if their characters play a major role in your post, but it's also just as common to work on posts on your own. Essentially, it's like writing a novel with a group of co-authors.
Roleplays are also large, collaborative writing projects, but they're not as structured. Posts also alternate between characters and tend to be shorter than storybook posts. They can have less planning than storybooks do, but also have the potential to have extensive planning. While storybooks are the realm of original characters, characters in roleplayers typically come from previously made stories.
Roleplay Duos are like roleplays on a smaller scale. As the name suggests, they're between two people. The posts tend to be on the smaller side, but they're the same as roleplaying when it comes to varying post lengths. When it comes to writing for other people's characters, the rules vary depending on the writers involved. Some posts may focus specifically on the actions of a single person's character(s), while others may be collaborated on by both people.
I'll share some examples of all three types in response to your fifth question farther down in this reply, but I think the best way to learn what you need is by example! Checking out other storybooks is what helped me figure out what I wanted mine to look like when I first started writing them.2)Do I write a part of the storybook and then another person continues?
So do I just describe the intro of the storybook and then other people take over. Or do we switch each time like I write the intro and then someone else does and then I continue he's work?
It really depends! The description I quoted might have already answered your question, but the creator of the storybook ultimately has control over when the writers switch. Think of a post like a mini chapter in a novel. Each post is a chapter written by a different writer. The creator of the storybook probably has an idea of what they want in each post (I know I write up a general plan in mine and the writers each claim a part of the plot they want to write) but the individual writers end their posts when they've gotten to what they feel is a good stopping point.
With roleplaying, on the other hand, you'll want to stick to writing your own character. When you want input from other characters or you can't think of anything else your character needs to do in your post, it's time to end your post and let someone write theirs.3) What is the most important thing about writing a storybook?
Collaboration! No matter if it's a storybook or a roleplay, you'll want to keep in touch with the other writers so you can figure out what's next for the story. In a competition like LSS where you want to get as much written as quickly as possible, communication and collaboration are even more important. You might have the original idea for the storybook or roleplay, but the other writers that take part in the storybook/roleplay are what helps bring it to completion.4) Before I start writing, how am I supposed to arrange it? Like in narrative writing, I could say (1)Wake up from the sound of the alarm clock (2) Brush teeth (3)Eat breakfast.
I admit I'm not entirely sure what you mean with this question, but it's definitely narrative writing! I've already used this analogy in my other responses, but it's basically like a novel. If you can imagine your post in a book, you're all set.5) Do you have any storybook that you might recommend to me so that I can understand it better?
As promised, here are some examples of storybooks, roleplays and RP Duos you might want to check out!
The Outlands is a long read, but it's one of the few finished storybooks here on YWS! If you want to see what a storybook looks like in the long term, it's a good example.
If you want a shorter one that doesn't really have a plot, my storybook Apartment 309E might be a good storybook to look at. It even has an example of a co-written post.
(Which Outlands probably has too!)
For completed roleplays, you can check out Winter Wonderland. Some of the writers dropped out before the story really began, so their characters are present in the first few posts but the characters' existence is ignored later on.
Another one of my roleplays you can check out is The Wayfarers. It's a great example of not having a plot in mind at the start and building it with the other writers as the story goes along - we've been discussing what to do in each post in the discussion topic.
Roleplay duos aren't really part of the LSS contest, but if you want them as a point of comparison or as a way to see what a more polished roleplay post/thread might look like, here's some finished ones you might want to check out:
The Celebrity Conundrum by @Liberty and @LZPianoGirl actually has a sequel, but the first thread is currently completed. A lot of roleplays & storybooks here on YWS are more fantasy or sci-fi orientated, so it's a great example of a more realistic story.
If you want to see some of the communication involved between writers in the actual posts, you'll want to check out @TheMulticoloredCyr and I's Clockwork Castle from last year. As a warning, it's ranked 16+. But it isn't too graphic, and it shows how writers doing a roleplay can figure out the plot together as they go along.
I hope that helps!
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